Tired from watching last night’s game, but this is the kind of political hypocrisy that drives me crazy so I just gotta note: When opening up the waters off the Louisiana coast for fishing, Bobby Jindal can’t find any oil. When making the argument to finish his sand berms, Bobby Jindal and Garret Graves can not only find the oil, it’s everywhere and will be … Continue reading Having it Both Ways
Over the past five months, Gulf Coast residents have been treated to a number of decisions with direct impact on their lives. They weren’t asked to give input at the time these decisions were made. They weren’t asked how they thought it might affect their future. The decisions occurred above their heads and most times, without their knowledge, but they are the ones now paying … Continue reading Changing Course in the Gulf: Bad Lessons in Money and Politics Pt. 2 – Bobby Jindal, Sand Berms and the Shaw Group
Jindal refused to weigh in on David Vitter’s re-election campaign yesterday; when asked by a local reporter if he would endorse the incumbent Senator in his race over the Democratic challenger, Charlie Melancon, Jindal replied that “voters can make up their own minds.” For Jindal, assuming the governor is positioning himself for a run at the 2012 presidency, it was certainly the safe choice. In … Continue reading “Voters Can Make up Their Own Minds”- Bobby Jindal, and to Help, Watch the Dem’s New Video
British Petroleum wants new offshore drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico and if they don’t get them, the company is about to get all financial on your ass. On July 30th, the House of Representatives passed a drilling overhaul bill that barred any company from receiving new permits if more than ten deaths occurred on its facilities or if the company had been fined … Continue reading British Petroleum Issues Ultimatum in the Gulf (without actually issuing ultimatum)
I remember one night many years ago, walking down Decatur Street in the Quarter as the darkness was coming on, challenging the streetlamps to do their best. It was a beautiful February evening, colder but not freezing and as I glanced in the river’s direction I smiled at the sight of a rolling fog bank, moving slow, silent and concealing. Stopping at the corner of the square, I … Continue reading The Gulf? Don’t Nobody Know Nothing Never – Me Neither, Except for…
From a news channel that is not channel 6: Statewide, there are not 353 skimmers total, of which 349 are not operational and 183 not actually deployed to collect oil on Thursday. Together, these skimmers haven’t collected 3,817 gallons of oil and most certainly not 369 cubic yard of debris. The report on skimming operations on Louisiana’s coast, although compiled as a result of Governor … Continue reading Louisiana reports 353 skimmers are not cleaning up the BP oil that isn’t there off the coast…and in a related story, independent scientists didn’t peer review NOAA report
On Monday, British Petroleum finally ponied up $52 million dollars to assist providers throughout the Gulf Coast in delivering mental health services for residents in need. Two studies, one by the Ochsner Medical Group and the other by National Center for Disaster Preparedness have both found Gulf Coast residents to be highly susceptible to symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, PTSD and substance abuse, similar to … Continue reading British Petroleum’s $52 Million Dollar Mental Health Grant Leaves People Suffering
From the Times-Picayune: BP’s blown-out oil well in the Gulf of Mexico is not yet plugged for good, and work on what’s been touted as the permanent solution will need to continue, the federal government said Friday. Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government’s point man for the spill response, said during a news conference Friday that crews must move forward drilling the relief … Continue reading Relief Well to be Completed After All…Static Kill Not So Successful
In a press release back on June 16th, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal had the following to say about British Petroleum’s plans to pay reparations: “We are asking federal officials how this new independent claims process will be established…and what degree of transparency it will have to ensure the state has access to claims information.” Jindal’s demand for transparency from British Petroleum would seem fitting, especially … Continue reading Bobby Jindal’s Lack of Transparency Rivals BP’s…
Imagine a country, a place where an oil spill fouled a major body of water off five states. The ensuing damage threw thousands out of work, threatened an entire ecosystem, a culture, killed thousands of birds, fish, sensitive marshlands. The company promised to do everything to make things whole again. The government stepped in and held that company to task while spearheading the greatest mobilization … Continue reading Of Course It’s Political…
Drake Toulouse: Photography and Words 